An Unexpected Gift by Katherine Grey Read Free Book Online Page A

peerage?”
    “For there to be a kidnapping, a body must be missing. A letter from you stating you will be visiting friends but giving no specifics would negate any thoughts of foul play.”
    “My wife would wonder at my disappearance after a while.”
    Will raised his eyebrows. “Would she? I think not, given your treatment of her.”
    “Why have you dragged me all the way out here?” Glenville demanded.
    “We need to talk, you and I.”
    “We couldn’t have done that in town?”
    Will looked around. “You know where we are?”
    “A few miles outside of London.”
    He dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Three to be exact.”
    Glenville huffed a breath of frustration. “I don’t care if we’re a hundred miles from London.”
    “You might.” Will clasped his hands behind his back and rocked back on his heels. “I wasn’t pleased when I heard how you neglect your wife.”
    “You know nothing of my wife.”
    “I know a great deal. Her name is Kate. She is eighteen years of age. You’ve been married six months.” He held up his hand as Glenville started to interrupt. “I was asked not to interfere, and I agreed. Until now.”
    “What the hell does that mean, ‘until now’?” His lordship took a step forward.
    Patrick and Fingers moved toward him. Will checked their movement with a slight gesture of his hand. “I agreed to...” He paused, searching for the right words.
    “Stay out of my marriage,” Glenville finished.
    Will stared at him, hoping the hatred he felt showed in his eyes. “Allow you to live.”
    Glenville gave a harsh bark of laughter. “Is that the purpose of this meeting? To persuade me to bow to my wife’s every whim by issuing meaningless threats?”
    “You don’t seem to know me very well. I suggest you remedy that. Keep in mind all rumours have a basis in fact.”
    The earl glanced at Fingers as he stood near the coach, still and silent. Transferring his attention back to Will, he stepped to the right.
    Will quirked his lips into a slight smile. “You may prove to be a better adversary than I first thought, so I will tell you this. Provide for your wife’s needs and all will be well. If you do not…” He let the sentence trail off.
    “My wife has a home that is the envy of every woman of the Ton , food to eat, clothing. What more does she want? Money to waste on fripperies? I provide everything she needs.”
    “Do you?” Will glanced at Fingers and nodded.
    The other man moved forward, pistol still in hand, and aimed at the earl’s chest. “Take off your coat.”
    “And if I refuse?”
    “Then Fingers will shoot you, and we will still take the coat,” Will said in a conversational tone as though he was discussing nothing more important than the weather.
    “Fingers?” Glenville asked.
    “That’d be me.” Fingers cocked the pistol. “The coat.”
    “Bloody hell.” Glenville shrugged out of the heavy greatcoat. “I don’t see the point in all this.” He threw the coat at Patrick.
    “You will.” Will moved closer. “Now your frock coat and waistcoat.”
    Glenville shook his head. “I think not.”
    Will waved Patrick forward. “The earl needs some assistance.”
    “No, that kind of help I don’t need.” Glenville took off the garments and glared at Will. “You’ll have to kill me because I’m removing no more of my clothes.”
    Will gave him a long look. “Are you aware your wife is without a proper wardrobe? That she is forced to go about in shoes that aren’t fit for a ballroom much less the streets, but yet you have a heavy coat and a pair of shiny Hessians.”
    He moved toward the coach. “Let’s be off. A tankard of ale and a warm fire awaits.”
    Patrick murmured his agreement, scooped the earl’s discarded clothing from the frozen grass, and headed toward the coach. Only Fingers remained as he was.
    “Thank God,” Glenville breathed.
    Will turned back. “Not you. You’ll be walking back to London.”
    “Walking! Are you out of